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January 28, 2012
County Executive Robert P.Astorino kicked off the free program Friday at a news conference at Westchester Community College's Gateway Center on the Valhalla Campus. He was joined by a representative of the Internal Revenue Service and some of the volunteers. Others who attended were Assemblyman Bob Castelli, Laurence Gottlieb, the county's director of economic development; WCC President Joseph Hankin; Phillip Gordon from Single Stop USA and other EITC partners. Single Stop USA, a nonprofit agency that among other things focuses on financial counseling and services (including tax preparation services) for students at community colleges, has provided a $50,000 grant to operate a site at WCC. The event focused on the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC). The IRS estimates that thousands of eligible Westchester residents fail to apply for this significant tax credit each year – either because they don't know about it or are unable to fill out the appropriate forms. Go to www.westchestergov.com/eitc for further information and a full chart of eligibility. "Last year, the county helped 4,989 residents get income tax refunds of about $6.7 million, including $2.4 million in tax credits," said Astorino. "Beyond the money it brings to these residents and their families, this put money back into our local economy. I am hoping we can do at least as well this year. I thank our partners, including SingleStop for its grant. It is also a good example of how volunteers can help government become more effective." Eligible taxpayers can receive earned income tax credits of up to $7,649 on their 2011 tax return, based on their income, filing status and household size. Individuals who want to find out if they qualify for the EITC and free tax preparation services at locations in White Plains, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Ossining and Peekskill should call United Way's 2-1-1. WCC students may call (914) 606-6709 to get information and to schedule an appointment. The service will run until April 17. It is open to taxpayers with household incomes below $50,000. This initiative is a collaboration of the following county departments and community organizations: Office of the County Executive; the departments of Social Services, Consumer Protection, and Single Stop USA; Educational Opportunity Center of Westchester, Westchester Chapter of the AARP, Interfaith Council for Action, The College of Westchester, Westchester Community Action Program, Community Capital Resources, Westchester Community College, The Volunteer Center, United Way's 2-1-1 Hudson Valley Region, the Business Council of Westchester, the Westchester County Library System and the Child Care Council of Westchester. | 
